²Preach^u the word;^v be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke^w and encourage^x—with great patience and careful instruction. ³For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.^y Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.^z ⁴They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.^a ⁵But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship,^b do the work of an evangelist,^c discharge all the duties of your ministry.

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2 Timothy 4:2: … preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

Cross references

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. But as for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths. But as for you, exercise self-control in everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

NLTNew Living Translation

Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all patience and instruction. For there will be a time when they will not put up with sound teaching, but in accordance with their own desires, they will accumulate for themselves teachers, because they have an insatiable curiosity, and they will turn away from the hearing of the truth, but will turn to myths. But you, be self-controlled in all things, bear hardship patiently, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

KJV 1900King James Version

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

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